n. & v.
n. 1 any of various liquid or semi-solid preparations taken as a relish with food; the liquid constituent of a dish (mint sauce; tomato sauce; chicken in a lemon sauce). 2 something adding piquancy or excitement. 3 colloq. impudence, impertinence, cheek. 4 US stewed fruit etc. eaten as dessert or used as a garnish.
v.tr. 1 colloq. be impudent to; cheek. 2 archaic a season with sauce or condiments. b add excitement to. sauce-boat a kind of jug or dish used for serving sauces etc. sauce for the goose what is appropriate in one case (by implication appropriate in others). sauceless adj.
[ ME f. OF ult. f. L salsus f. salere sals- to salt f. sal salt ]